For the Reporter

Carla Shafer was all smiles as she accepted the first-place prize of $65 and a basket of poetic goodies last Saturday during the AugustFest Literary Adventures program at the new Community and Event Center in Les Gove Park.

Shafer said this was the first contest she’s entered and was completely surprised to win it.

Jerry Gold took the second-place prize of $35 and a basket full of poetics. Gold is publisher and editor of Black Heron Press, Seattle.

Richard Brugger, past Auburn poet laureate, was third, taking $25 and a poetry basket.

Amanda Enrico, Jolene Loraine and Jim Teeters earned honorable mention honors, with each receiving a tote bag with poetry books and novelties.

The event was honored to have two other poet laureates in the audience – Auburn’s Marjorie Romell and Pacific’s Gerald A. McBreen.

Connie Walle of the Puget Sound Poetry Connection, Tacoma, donated the first-place basket.

The Striped Water Poets provided other baskets and tote bags. The Striped Water Poets and 4Culture sponsored the Literary Adventures at AugustFest.